Heartless
by Chasing the Night
Summary: 'Devil… crazy… demon… murderer,' she seethed at the last insult. 'I am none of these things they've accused me of. But since they insist on calling me these names, I might as well give them a reason to.' DISCONTINUED! REWRITE IS UP NOW!
1. Prologue

"Mommy, will you tell me a story?" a little girl asked, tugging on her mother's pants. She looked up at the woman with her large, doe-like eyes while flashing a toothy grin.

The woman sighed. "No, Seiko," she replied, shaking her head. "It's time for bed." She picked up her daughter and gently placed her on the bed. Grabbing the blankets, she draped them over the girl's body, tucking them up to her child's chin. She leaned down, pushed a strand of white hair behind the girl's ear. She placed a light kiss on her forehead and proceeded to exit the room.

Seiko's hand shot out from under the sheets and grabbed her mother's arm, preventing her from leaving. "Oh, but _please_, mommy?" she pleaded, pouting. "I love your stories!"

"But I already told you a story," the woman lied, kneeling so they were at eye level. While maintaining eye contact with her daughter, the woman's irises transformed from their usual silver color to midnight black. Doubt swept over the little girl's face, the beginnings of confusion. Seiko stared at her mother, puzzled, until she finally realized what was happening.

"Hey!" Seiko complained, her bottom lip jutting out. "No fair! Daddy says you're not suppose to use your kekka gen–" a confused look entered the little girl's face as the woman shook her head "–kekkai? –" another shake " –kekkei?" The woman nodded her head, satisfied. "Kekkei genkai," Seiko announced proudly. A blank look flickered in her eyes as she looked at her mother, momentarily forgetting what they were talking about. She blinked and looked away, her mind immediately clearing up. Pouting again, she immediately sat up and pounded her tiny fists against her mother's chest as she shrieked, "Hey! You did it again!"

"Alright, Seiko," the woman relented, catching Seiko's fists easily. "What story do you want me to tell?" she asked as she scooped up the little girl into her arms, blankets and all, and carried her over to the rocking chair in the corner. She adjusted the blankets, wrapping them securely around her daughter's petite body.

Seiko rested her head against her mother's chest, calming down. She played with a lock of her mother's white hair, twirling and fingering it gently. "I wanna hear…" she paused, thinking it over. "I wanna hear_ that_ story!" she cried excitedly, bouncing up and down in her mother's lap.

"That one?" the woman asked, surprised. "But I've already told you that story a bunch of times. Don't you want to hear a different one?"

"No! I wanna hear _that_ one!" Seiko demanded, a frown marring her face.

The woman sighed at her daughter's stubbornness. "Oh, alright. If you wanted to hear some," she paused, thinking of a more "age appropriate" word, "unoriginal love story –"

"No!" Seiko cried, pouting again. That seemed to be her favorite word today. "You're supposed to use your bad words."

"But daddy doesn't like it when I use bad words in front of you."

"But daddy's not here," Seiko replied sweetly, grinning.

_'He's definitely going to be pissed if he finds out,'_ the woman thought. She shrugged her shoulders. _'Oh well. What he doesn't know won't kill him.'_

"Okay, but keep in mind the following story is fiction. Okay?" the woman asked, stroking her daughter's hair._  
_

"'Kay!" Seiko chirped, agreeing happily.

* * *

If you wanted to hear some stupid, overused love story where the prince falls in love with some damsel in distress (and vice versa), the villain does something horrible to the damsel, the prince defeats the bad guy, and the two get married and live happily ever after, then you've come to the wrong place. So, turn around and go. Yeah, that's right; you didn't hear wrong. I'm telling you to _go._

…Oh, you're still here. Well since you've stuck around, I guess that means you _want_ to hear my story. Okay then.

My story is not like, well… _that_, 'cause first, I'm not a damsel, or at least, in distress. Second, some prince does not fall in love with me (and vice versa); that would be stupid and trite. And third, on the off chance that I do fall in love with a prince, _I_ would probably be the one to kick the bad guy's ass, not him 'cause I'm sooo much stronger than some wimpy guy.

Anyway, you're probably just _itching _to know about my side of the story. Well…HOLD YOUR _FRICKIN' _HORSES. I'm gonna take my _sweet_ time, thank you very much, and if you don't like it, well… _I'm_ not going to hold you back. I told you, you could go in the beginning of this thing, remember? Feel free to leave.

…Seriously, you're not leaving? I'm still waiting for you to _go_ 'cause I really don't get _why_ you're even bothering with me. I'm not the most interesting person around, so there's no_ point_. For all _you_ know, I might _never_ tell you about what happened to me.

...It looks like you're pretty determined to stick around.

Alright then! Since you were so _very_ patient, I guess I _will_ tell you my story. You should be grateful.

…Okay, on to the story.

Once upon a ti –

NOT! Don't worry; I'm not _really_ going to start the story with such a cliché line. I was just checking to make sure you were paying attention.

… Really, I was!

…You obviously don't believe me. And I thought you had more faith in me!

…Alright, fine! This time, I'll _really_ start the story.

* * *

_10 Years Ago  
_

_"She's a demon," a man barked. The villagers surrounded the girl in a small circle and stared at her accusingly, eyes filled with contempt. Not a single person looked at her kindly. _

_"I'm not," she whimpered, refusing to look him in the eye. She curled up into a ball and covered her ears, but she could still hear their taunts._

_"I heard she's crazy," a woman added venomously._

_"No, I'm not," she repeated, voice growing louder. She shook her head, eyes tightly shut, pushing back tears. Her body was shaking now._

_"A murderer, that's what she is," another man spat, shooting her dirty looks. _

_"I'm not!" She sounded like a broken record, unable to say anything else. She looked into the woman's eyes and screamed, "I didn't kill anyone!"_

_CRACK!_

_A sharp pain exploded across her left cheek. Tears welled up in her eyes as she reached up a hand and gingerly caressed the pink skin. _

_"You devil!" one of the females screamed. A little boy – probably five or so – clung to the woman's skirt, glaring at her from behind his mother._

_Anger and indignation swelled within her; however, she refused to lash out, simply because they were civilians, and a shinobi should never harm anyone other than the enemy. So she took the abuse quietly, but they were quite close to pushing her off the edge. Just one more push. That was all she needed. Her hands balled up into tight fists, just itching to be thrown, but they remained clamped over her ears._

_The five villagers ganged up on her, slapping and kicking while screaming profanities at her. She covered her head with her arms, trying to soften the blows to her face._

_"You little piece of shit," the first woman hissed. She stomped on her head and kicked her in the ribs._

_"Die, bitch!" the leader of the group growled, yanking on her hair sharply._

_"Why couldn't you have died instead?!" the second woman screamed, clawing at her arms. _

_"You killed my brother!" the boy yelled, peeking at her from behind the woman. _

_Her resistance finally snapped. Out of all the verbal abuse she had endured that night, out of all the painful blows dealt from these people, this little boy's words hurt her the most. 'Bitch… devil… crazy… demon… murderer,' she seethed at the last insult. 'I am none of these things they've accused me of. But since they insist on calling me these names, I might as well give them a reason to.' _

_With these thoughts in mind, she jerked up to her feet.__The idiots had been so consumed with getting revenge; they hadn't even thought to take her weapons from her. A big mistake. _ Ripping out a kunai from her weapon's holster, she launched it at the boy's face, shrieking, "No, I didn't!" 

_He didn't even have enough time to hide behind his mother's poofy skirts. It speared through his forehead, showering her with blood. The boy collapsed to the ground, blood flowing out in copious amounts. A satisfied smirk danced across her lips. She met each startled expression with a hungry look in her eyes. __She licked her lips, becoming more and more animalistic with each passing second. _They were frozen in place like statues except for one. 'Funny,' she thought wryly, 'how the predator can become the prey in just a moment.'  


_The little girl looked up into the eyes of the woman whose child she had just killed. Resentment. Anger. Grief. These three emotions fought for dominance within the woman as she watched the life quickly drain from her beloved child. Her body shook, her eyes glazed with tears, and her bottom lip quivered. Her lips parted slightly, and a shrill cry ripped out of her throat. "My son! My son!" she wailed, flinging herself across the boy's body. She hugged the corpse to her chest and sobbed, "First, you take away my oldest son, and now my youngest?!"_

_The girl stared at the woman, indifferent to her suffering. "Who's next?" she asked, ignoring the woman. She calmly wiped the blood off her cheek, smearing it over her hand. She licked it off like a cat, tongue flicking across the skin while keeping her eyes glued to her prey. _

_"Shizuka!" a man yelled. He charged at her and knocked her to the ground._

_The girl rolled over onto her hands and feet. She growled, about to launch herself at him, until she saw his face. She inhaled sharply. "T-Takumi?" She looked behind him and noticed Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma, and Gai running towards them. Her face paled at the sight. 'Did they see?' she thought, inwardly panicking. 'Did they see me kill him?' _

_The villagers scrambled to their feet, realizing now was the best time to escape. With their tails between their legs, they ran away as fast as they possibly could, dragging the weeping woman and corpse with them. Takumi watched as they quickly disappeared from sight. When they were finally gone, he turned and glared at her, clearly unhappy. ____Her friends remained quiet, waiting to see how the scene would play out. She glanced at them, faces ranging from shock to disappointment. Takumi grasped her arm painfully tight and wrenched it, pulling her to her feet. _"What were you thinking?!" he demanded harshly. "Murdering an innocent child? Threatening civilians? Have you lost your mind?!"   


_She felt all her energy leak out of her then, leaving her extremely weak. Her knees buckled under the weight – under the shock of everything that had happened today – and she collapsed onto the ground, tears spilling down her face. Takumi's fingers were still curled around her wrist. _

_"This is your fault," she angrily accused, ignoring his questions. "You're the murderer! Why am I getting blamed?" She paused for a moment, letting the words sink in. The anger drained out of her, and her voice dropped to a whisper. "You know I rarely make promises," she continued softly, "but I will promise you this." She looked up into his dark grey eyes; her own were filled with madness. The corners of her lips curled up into an insane smile. Her expression was enough to answer his question on her sanity. Laughter filled the air, laced with desperation. "I will kill you," she declared. The sounds of her laughter echoed throughout the street, causing everyone to wince. Her giggles died down after a minute, and she quietly repeated, "I will kill you." _

* * *

**A/N: Sorry to everyone who was reading A Second Chance. I got writer's block for that story, so I just decided to start a new one. So, how is it so far? Good? Bad? Please review!**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: The story will have a [BREAK] when the narrator (Shizuka) wants to talk to you and add some stuff in. Please review!**

* * *

Hidden away from the prying eyes of civilians, three men huddled together, discussing their plan. This was possibly one of the most difficult challenges they had ever faced, and there was a good chance of failure. But they knew it was important that they succeed or the consequences would be great, and that was enough to motivate them.

"So, you guys know what to do, right?" the white-haired man questioned, worry and uncertainty shone in his eyes, as he glanced at his two companions. He leaned against the side of the building, a hand shoved into his pocket. He pulled out a small, rectangular box and opened the top, plucking one of the cigarettes. He put it to his lips and plunged a hand into his pocket again, taking out a lighter this time. He lit the cigarette and took a long drag, a nervous habit he had developed after years of worrying about a certain someone.

"Of course!" Gai said, flashing a blindingly bright smile.

"Yeah," Kakashi agreed, not bothering to look up from his book.

"Alright, but let's review it one more time," the man continued on, not taking any chances. He dropped his cancer stick and stamped it out. "Hokage-sama said that she would be at Ichiraku's. If I fail to persuade the target, you're next Kakashi."

Kakashi nodded, showing he was paying attention. He turned the next page of his Icha Icha Paradise novel and read through it.

"If the two of us fail, you're next Gai," the man said seriously.

"Don't worry, Takumi! I'll make sure to convince her – it's a promise!" Gai exclaimed, flashing the older man his famous "nice guy pose."

* * *

I walked around the village at a slow, leisurely pace; it wasn't as if I was in a hurry to get somewhere. I didn't really have an _exact_ destination in mind. I just wandered around, looking for something to do.

[BREAK]

…What? WHAT?! YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANNA SAY TO ME, PUNK?! IS THERE SOMETHING _WRONG_ WITH WANDERING AROUND A VILLAGE BY MYSELF? NO?! Oh… sorry about that. I do that sometimes. I get a _little_, just a _little_, defensive in case you haven't noticed.

…Okay,_ fine_, I get _really_ defensive. HAPPY?!

…Sorry again.

…Okay, back to the story.

[BREAK]

I passed some of the shops, looked at the merchandise on display, and just walked around for a while. I had just come back from a three year trip to the Land of Fire's capital. The Fire Daimyō sent me on a mission (with a few others of course) and ordered me back to Konoha afterwards. Stupid daimyō. Anyway, it was a regular B ranked escort mission with some enemy ninjas, traps, and people who want to kill the person being escorted. You know the drill. Anyway, the person we escorted was the daimyō's son or something; so that made him a prince I guess. We were taking him to the Land of Lightning; he was engaged to the Lightning Daimyō's daughter.

_'He was real charmer,' _I thought sarcastically. He had done everything, just barely stopping short of rape. He had attempted to kiss, flirt, and assault me in my sleep. I swear, if my teammates hadn't held me back, he would've been a dead man. I passed into the food district and spotted Ichiraku Ramen. My stomach growled, signaling it was time to get some food. My tummy was like a monster; it always growled when it was hungry, and I even unintentionally scared a cat with it once. I frowned down at my stomach and said to it, "Oh, quit your whining. I'll get us something to eat."

[BREAK]

…What? I'm allowed to talk to my stomach. HAVEN'T YOU EVER HEARD OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH?

…Sorry, back to the story.

[BREAK]

I entered the restaurant and sat down on one of the empty stools, my back rigid and straight, and shoulders tense. I didn't really want to eat here, but once my stomach started making noises, I knew it wouldn't stop until I got _something_ in it. Plus, it's been a while since I've eaten here. Maybe the unpleasant memories and certain _people_ won't pop up just because _I'm_ here. _'It's just a short visit, right?'_ I thought, silently convincing myself not to run out the door. I anxiously scanned the place for that _guy_ and let an inaudible sigh of relief slip past my lips when I didn't find him. My shoulders relaxed and I slumped down in my seat. _'Safe,' _I thought, resting my chin against my palm. There weren't that many people around. Just a few fellow jounins and their students, probably back from training or a D-ranked, possibly C-ranked, mission.

So, I wouldn't leave since that _guy_ wasn't here. Yet.

"Shizuka-chan!" a voice exclaimed, surprised.

I stiffened, and my muscles tensed again. I was ready to bolt out of the restaurant – and I would've too – but my brain processed the voice was high in pitch like a female's, not low like a male's. I relaxed and turned around in my seat to see who had called my name. Someone I was very familiar with in previous years came up to me. She had long brown hair, tied up into a ponytail, and dark brown – almost black – eyes. She was wearing a white robe and a bandanna.

"Hey, Ayame," I greeted, smiling slightly.

"I didn't expect to see _you_ here," Ayame continued, her eyes lighting up. "You stopped coming a long time ago. What made you come back?"

I pointed to my stomach like it had all the answers. "You know how it gets," I answered.

Ayame nodded, a knowing smile on her lips. "Well then, I guess I'll have to get you some food ASAP. Miso, right?"

"Yeah, I'd like th–," I said just as my stomach gave out a great, big yell, effectively cutting me off. Ayame burst into a fit of giggles. "My tummy would like that too," I added, frowning at it.

She giggled, happiness shining in her eyes. "Hey, we should hang out after your done eating," Ayame suggested after her laughter died down. "I haven't seen you in so long."

"Sure," I agreed, shrugging my shoulders. "Why not?"

"Great! I'll go get your ramen." Ayame turned around and left, leaving me by myself.

She was the only good thing about coming here; well, besides the food of course.

As I waited for the ramen to arrive, my thoughts drifted back towards the prince. That weird, sick, _horrible_ prince. He already had fiancé, but he just kept _flirting_ with me; it was absolutely _disgusting._ A small shudder racked my body at the memory. I just about threw up on his _pretty little shoes _sometime in the middle of our journey. I was surprised I hadn't. I don't usually have a lot of self control, especially over my gag reflex; but I guess the main thing holding me back was that it'd be pretty rude if I vomited on him. Plus, I would probably have earned less money if I were to somehow maim or mutilate the Daimyō's son beyond recognition. Though now, I am seriously regretting not doing anything.

The Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning weren't exactly on good terms. It was probably because of two things: the Hyuuga incident, which involved the Head Ninja of Kumogakure kidnapping the three-year-old Hinata Hyuuga; and another incident, which involved, well, _me_. Anyway, the Land of Lightning was always… power hungry, so offering up the Fire Daimyō's son for marriage was our attempt at a peace treaty. Of course, they probably won't be so pleased at our attempts at forming an alliance when they find out we basically exiled – excuse me, _sent_ – our stupid, two-timing prince out of the Land of Fire to be married to their princess.

I sighed; I almost pitied the poor girl who had probably been forced into this engagement. Almost.

I wonder why he decided to flirt with _me_ of all people. It's not like I'm incredibly beautiful or anything, but I guess I might be to some people. Key word: _might_. My eyes are… unique, but that's really the only special feature about me.

While I was preoccupied with my thoughts, I hadn't noticed a man taking the seat next to me. He cleared his throat, trying and _failing_ to catch my attention. He cleared his throat again, a bit louder this time. It still didn't work. Finally, he gave me a gentle nudge. I turned my thoughts away from that womanizing idiot of a prince and shifted my gaze to the person on my right. I froze, staring into those deep grey eyes. I could see myself reflected off of them, an expression of horror and anger greeted me.

In the split second I spent looking into his eyes, I suddenly recalled a… _unpleasant_ memory.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks Diamond Lotus-chan for reviewing my story. It really encourages me. Here's the next chapter.**

* * *

I inhaled sharply as the memory ended, breathing erratically and hands shaking. I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth. This was something that had been imbedded into my brain and I would most likely never forget it. But for some reason, I could never remember anything after that. Takumi reached out and held onto my hand reassuringly. I slapped it away; his touch burned my skin.

Not for the first time, I was cursing the Fire Daimyō for making me return home. I had been acting as his bodyguard and assassin for the past three years and was perfectly content with my position. I was in bliss until I received the news that I would be going back to Konoha, and unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. So, here I was, sitting next to a guy I despised and wishing I was anywhere but _here_. Now, my head throbbed and ached and was just being a pain in the ass. I was _not_ in the mood to deal with him. Not right now and certainly not in the next few hours when my head would finally stop aching. But then again, when have I _ever_ wanted to spend time with him? The answer is – as bad as it sounds – never. I glared a whole through his head and asked coldly, "What do you want, Takumi?"

He chuckled softly. "Nothing," Takumi answered, holding his hands up innocently. "What made you think that?"

I scowled. "You don't ever seek me out unless you need me for something. So, what is it?"

Takumi sighed. "Alright, alright," he said, giving in. "I need you to do me a favor."

"I come back for the first time in three years, and the first thing you ask is for a _favor_?" I demanded incredulously, raising an eyebrow.

"It's a really important favor," he added.

I sighed, asking warily, "What kind of favor?"

Takumi immediately launched into details. "Well, I promised my wife I would take her out on a date, but I was just assigned a mission. Anyway, you'd be doing me a big favor if you took my place."

"Wife? You got married?" I asked, confused. I didn't know I had a sister-in-law.

"Yeah, three years ago," Takumi said proudly, beaming.

"Huh." I vaguely remember being sent an invitation three years ago, but I never went since I had thrown the letter out by… "accident" before reading it. "Yuka-sensei's your wife, right? She was your girlfriend last time I checked."

"Yup, she is."

"Any kids?"

"We're expecting one now."

"Boy or girl?"

"Not sure, but we're hoping for a boy."

"Hm. Well, congrats, brother."

"Thanks. So what's with the sudden curiosity?" Takumi asked, smiling. No doubt that he was thinking of something stupid. And my thoughts were correct when he suddenly voiced aloud, "Are you actually beginning to care about me again?"

"I don't care about you," I growled defensively. "I just wanted to know who joined the Tsukino clan while I was away."

"Oh," Takumi said, disappointed. He slumped in his seat and frowned, very glum.

There was a bit of an awkward silence after that since neither of us knew what to say. Well, _I_ didn't know what to say. There wasn't much to say after saying I didn't care about him. I was kind of antisocial and didn't like to talk much, so I always seemed to be spewing inappropriate things during a conversation.

I sighed and directed the conversation back to its original topic, hoping to cheer him up when I accepted. His bad mood was annoying me. Out of the two of us, he was usually sunshine and rainbows while I was the dark, gloomy one. _Not_ the other way around. "What's the mission?"

"Huh?" Takumi asked, snapping out of his reverie. "Oh, um, it's only two weeks long."

"I didn't ask how long, but what the mission was."

"Um, you'll have two partners with you and you'll be going to Kumo." Takumi's eyes wandered around the restaurant, looking anywhere except at me as he evaded my question.

"But what's the _mission_?" I stressed, growing suspicious. I didn't like the fact that I'd be going back to Kumo, and it was really weird that he was avoiding my question. There wasn't a reason to dance around it unless he knew I wouldn't like the answer. I narrowed my eyes at him and tapped my fingers against the counter restlessly.

Takumi frowned down at his hands. He adjusted the forehead protector on his arm and fixed his clothes to stall for a bit. I waited impatiently before I finally snapped, _"Well?"_

After running out of things to do, he sighed and reluctantly answered, "It's a retrieval mi–"

"No," I interrupted curtly. Well, that explained it. It was a retrieval mission. I turned to face the counter as I waited for Ayame to arrive with my ramen. Really, this was just a waste of time. I shouldn't have bothered asking him anything in the first place. Should've just ignored him.

"Oh, come on," he whined. "You have t–"

"No," I repeated firmly. "Takumi, you are _thirty _– almost thirty-_one _– years old, and you are a grown man. You do not – and I repeat, _not,_ – need me to do your mission for you!"

_"Please,"_ he pleaded. "C'mon, for old times' sake?"

I hesitated for a brief moment, resolve wavering, but _only_ for a moment. I shook my head, remembering _that_ incident. "No! Find someone else!" I yelled, fury etched into my features. I started fingering the kunai in my pouch, seriously debating whether to throw it or not. _'I'm sure Hokage-sama will forgive me even if I put one of his jounins in the hospital for a while. After all,' _I thought bitterly, _'everyone thinks I'm insane.'_

"I'm back!" Ayame sang, moving out of the kitchen with a bowl of noodles in her hands. Takumi turned his attention towards the brunette, and I used that moment of distraction to escape. I formed the proper hand signs and disappeared, leaving behind a puff of smoke.

Takumi's head snapped his left, noticed I went missing, and immediately raced out of Ichiraku to find me. I quickly took out a cloak from my bag and held it up in front of me, causing me to blend into the building and become invisible. After that, I suppressed my chakra to make sure he wouldn't find me and waited for him to pass me by.

Takumi looked around, trying to figure out which direction I went before heading right. I held my breath, as he passed by and froze. He stopped, turned his head to the right, and looked me directly in the eye.

_'Shit,'_ I thought, inwardly panicking. _'He couldn't be looking at _me._ This disguise should be perfect!'_

For a second, I thought my cover was blown, but then, Takumi did something that really surprised me. Surprised me and made me furious at the same time. He pointed a finger at my forehead and read with growing excitement at each passing word, "'Yakiniku Q: 30% discount on everything. Expires…' today?!"

Seriously, what was more important?_ Me_, the person he's trying to get a favor from, or _barbeque_? Just as I was about to rip off my disguise and punch the living daylights out of him, a shout down the street stopped me and captured my attention.

"Takumi!" a woman yelled, furious. Her face was a bright shade of red; you could just _see_ the smoke coming out of her ears. Her untidy, light brown hair seemed to float around her like Medusa's snakes and her eyes seemed to be on _fire_.

Takumi jumped in surprise and quickly spun around at the sound of his wife's voice. The blood drained from his face as he took in her wild appearance.

_'If only looks could kill...' _I thought wistfully.

"Y-Yes, Y-Yuka d-dear?" he stuttered, obviously frightened.

Yuka-sensei took two long strides and brought her arm back, hand clenched into a tight fist. "YOU IDIOT!" she screamed as she punched his face, sending him flying several feet away. After landing painfully on his ass, he sat up and clutched his injured cheek, tears streaming down his face. It's a pity; I thought he was knocked unconscious.

"What was that for?" Takumi cried, sniffling like a baby. It was pretty pathetic considering his age.

Yuka-sensei crouched down to his level and glared at him. She grabbed his ear and screamed into it, "You forgot about our date today!" She then proceeded to drag him by his ear.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow," Takumi repeated, face contorted from pain. He tried (unsuccessfully, if I may add) to pull his wife's hand away from his ear. People ignored his cries for help since this was basically an everyday occurrence after those two started dating. Plus, _no one_ wants to cross Yuka-sensei; it's certain death if you do. The only reason Takumi stayed and let her bully him is 'cause he was – and still is – whipped. No doubt about that.

After they were too far away for me to see, I removed my disguise. I stood outside the restaurant, poking my head in. Ayame had probably noticed my seat was empty and looked around the shop for a while. I watched as she searched high and low for me, a little amused when she checked inside a cabinet. After a minute, she walked back to my seat and glared at it like I would magically appear if she stared at it long enough. She frowned and asked confusedly, "…Where did she go?"

I left after that since I didn't want to walk back in and deal with a pissed off Ayame, nor did I want to explain everything to her. I did feel a little bad for Ayame though, seeing as how she had spent time preparing food for me and I couldn't even eat a bite of it. Plus, I promised we would hang out. Oh, well. It's Takumi's fault anyways for making me escape.

A loud grumble interrupted my thoughts; I looked down, confused. I smacked my forehead as realization suddenly dawned on me. _'Shit,' _I cursed, _'that hurt! I should _not_ have done that.'_ I rubbed my head gingerly and pouted. _'I can't believe I forgot the reason I was even _in _Ichiraku's in the first place. Stupid, Takumi. Now I can't enjoy a nice bowl of ramen.'_

I let out a frustrated sighed before looking up. I watched the clouds drift across the sky, blotting out the stars and the moon only to reveal them again a minute later. I hadn't realized how much time had passed; it was already dark out. I felt a familiar chakra signature walking towards me.

I rolled my head lazily to the side and asked, "What do you want, Kakashi?"


	4. Chapter 3

He shrugged. "Nothing much."

"Nothing much my ass," I muttered under my breath.

"Touchy, aren't we?" Kakashi asked, smirking.

"Shut up," I said, glaring. "I bet you were supposed to meet up with Takumi and help him convince me to take that mission for him," I accused, storming off.

He quickly caught up to me, able to easily keep up with my fast pace. "What made you think that?"

"I doubt it's a coincidence I see you on the same day – the same _hour _– I see him. On the same day I come back to Konoha too. You probably just arrived late – like you always do – and that's why you're talking to me now instead of earlier."

"Smart," Kakashi commented.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Anyone could've figured it out. Pretty much everyone knows you arrive late to anything but missions."

He chuckled softly. "I really doubt that _anyone_ would've been able to. My new student probably couldn't if you gave him a chance; he doesn't have the brain power."

"New student?" I asked, surprised. It wasn't every day the famous Copy Ninja took on a team of genin. I slowed down my pace to a reasonable speed. "I thought you always failed the genins you were assigned to."

"Well this year, they actually displayed _teamwork_ and _loyalty,_ unlike the some people," Kakashi said, exaggerating certain words.

"Soooo," I said casually, ignoring the jab, "who are the kids?"

"Oh, just Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, and Sakura Haruno," he replied, just as casual. He reached into his jacket, took out a small orange book, and leafed through it, stopping when he found his page.

"_That_ boy and an Uchiha, huh?" Two boys, one with blonde hair and blue eyes and the other with spiky black hair that resembled a duck's butt and eyes to match popped up in my head. "Wow, you sure got lucky. The Sandaime must really love you," I said sarcastically. "…I don't really know the last one."

"I'm not surprised. She's pretty ordinary compared to the other two."

"What does she look like anyway?"

"Pink hair, green eyes. She's a fangirl."

I rolled my eyes. "Figures. _Everyone's_ a fangirl. Nowadays, girls don't _care_ about becoming good ninjas. It's all about 'Does my hair look nice?' or 'Do you think he'll like this?' or 'I love' so and so. Really, it's the _fangirls_ who give us kunoichi a bad name. Sometimes I wonder if they're even human, what with the speed they use to chase after guys. Now if only they applied all that energy to training." I sighed wistfully. Kakashi watched me out of the corner of his eye before flicking back to his book, amused by my little rant. "But anyway, that's an interesting matchup," I commented, leaning down to look at the book cover. I was curious to know what book could hold his attention for so long. My eyes widened in disgust and horror as I jumped away. "_Ew!_" I screamed. "You're still reading that _junk_? Really, Kakashi, you're such a perv," I admonished.

"You're just too childish to understand the beauty of Icha Icha Paradise," he answered back, too engrossed with his book to care or notice he had just threw an insult at me.

I stopped dead in my tracks and slowly turned to face him. "_Excuse me?_" I asked. My voice was low and soft, deceptively calm; and my face was expressionless, but anyone who knew me well enough would know I was barely holding my temper. He looked up, a flash of fear in his dark eyes. Well, eye. His other eye was covered by his forehead protector. "_Did you just call me chi –_"

"Kakashi-sensei!" a voice screamed.

_'Really, what is with all these interruptions?'_ I huffed, exasperated._ 'You're damn lucky someone showed up, or you'd have been turned into a pulp,' _I thought, scowling at him. I could tell he was smiling under that stupid mask of his.

I stopped glaring daggers at Kakashi and instead directed it on the person calling out to him. A hyper active blonde raced up to us. His hands were balled up into fists, his cheeks were puffed out like a kid's, and he was glaring at him. Not very intimidating if you asked me. Following him was a dark, gloomy kid and a fangirl. _'Speak of the devil…'_

The blonde, Naruto, huffed and looked away, crossing his arms. "You're late sensei! You promised to take us to Ichiraku's an hour ago," he scolded.

"Oh, sorry, guys," Kakashi apologized insincerely. "I got lost on the path of life."

_'_That_ was probably one of the most stupid lies I've ever heard. If he actually accepts that, then he's not cut out for being a ninja. Too naïve.'_

"LIES!" he screamed, eyes fierce.

_'Huh. Maybe, he's not so stupid after all,'_ I amended.

After that, Naruto finally noticed me. Really, how do you _not_ notice someone right in front of you? I mean, the girl with the weird hair color and gloomy boy over there noticed me like ten minutes ago.

_'I wonder if he's just naturally unobservant or was just dropped on the head when he was a kid,' _I thought. I'll admit I was being pretty mean, but I was getting more and more irritated as the minutes went by. I did _not_ need a perv, a brainiac, a loudmouth, and some doom and gloom kid ruining my already crummy evening.

So then, Naruto just sorta gaped at me, his jaw dropping to the ground and eyes bugging out. I was pretty tempted to find some dog poop and just shove it down his throat, but decided against it. I felt like he was insulting me; I know I'm not beautiful, but I don't consider myself _butt ugly_. "You're on _date_?!" he asked incredulously, slapping his cheeks in case he was dreaming.

Sakura screamed, "Naruto!" and promptly slapped him upside the head. "Don't disturb Kakashi-sensei while he's on a date!"

"Ouch!" he cried, rubbing his head. He pouted and whined in a loud voice, "But, Sakura-chan…"

"We're so sorry, sensei!" Sakura apologized, ignoring him. She turned towards me, curiosity sparkling in her green eyes, and smiled apologetically. "Sorry for interrupting you two. We just wanted to spend some quality time with our sensei since we almost never see him." She cast her eyes downward, portraying her (fake) sadness. She looked up again and smiled sadly. "We'll leave you two alone now. Please continue on your date, miss…"

"Shizuka Tsukino," I answered curly.

Sakura looked shocked, either reacting to the rudeness of my tone or my name. It was probably both. It wouldn't be a surprise if she knew my name. Almost everyone in the village knew it. '_Shizuka Tsukino, the crazy woman. The devil. The murderer. Slaughterer of innocents.' _

Sakura's smile faltered a bit but didn't break. "Okay, Shizuka-san," she nodded in my direction, "sensei," she nodded at Kakashi, "we'll be leaving now."

"Awww, but Sakura-chan! –"

Sakura shot a withering look in Naruto's direction which quickly shut him up. _'She should quit being a shinobi and become an actress,'_ I thought, mentally applauding her. _'Being sweet and nice one minute and demonic the next.'_

She was probably trying to guilt me into letting them tag along with that shitty line about how they never spend enough time with Kakashi. Well, too bad for her, 'cause I don't feel very guilty.

"Okay, you guys can leave," I said, dismissing them with a wave of my hand.

Sakura's eyes widened, clearly not expecting me to answer that way.

"No wait!" Naruto yelled stubbornly, stamping his feet. "I'm not leaving! Kakashi-sensei promised to buy us ramen!"

Naruto was pretty noisy, and his voice was aggravating my headache. Really, how did such loud sounds come from such a tiny body? Sakura was pretty loud too. And violent. Almost as much as Tsunade when Jiraiya does something perverty. So far, I liked dark, quiet kid the best. At least he wasn't annoying me to death with stupid questions or talking my ear off. I growled at Naruto, low and dangerous, baring my teeth for good measure. That shut him up immediately to which I was grateful.

"Eh? I did? Now, when did I promise that?" Kakashi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He then asked, "Why don't you buy your own ramen, Naruto? You have money, don't you?"

Naruto stared at him; a horrified expression flitted across his face. "No way! Gama-chan is only happy when he's fat and full of money. I don't have that much saved up right now! Besides," Naruto complained, pouting and crossing his arms again, "you said it was _your _treat."

"Whatever, dobe," Sasuke spoke up, "it doesn't matter. Let's just leave Kakashi and that weakling."

Correction: Sasuke is now my least favorite.

"Eeek! Sasuke-kun, you're so cool!"

A murderous aura suddenly filled the air. I. Was. Pissed.

Naruto let out a nervous laugh when he noticed the strong killing intent leaking from me. "Anyway, Kakashi-sensei promised to buy us ramen! Let's go!" Then, he grabbed Kakashi by the arm and promptly dragged him back towards the direction I came from.

I watched until the four were out of sight. Then, I walked towards Yakiniku Q. I was pretty sure I wouldn't bump into Takumi since Yuka-sensei dragged him away. A green blur ran up to me as soon as Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto left. _'Only one person wears such a hideous green jumpsuit and is actually proud of it.'_


	5. Chapter 4

It wasn't that I didn't like Gai. No, it was just that he could get _really_ irritating, and I was already quite annoyed.

"What, Gai?" I barked; my voice was a little sharp. I knew it wasn't Gai's fault that Takumi and Kakashi had pissed me off and used up my quota of patience for the day – no scratch that, make that a month – but I couldn't help but snap at him. I felt my headache coming back.

"I just wanted to have a talk with you," Gai said, undaunted, flashing me a blindingly bright smile. I almost had to shield my eyes at the sight.

"Somehow, I really doubt that."

"Why?"

I rubbed my head gingerly, trying to soothe the pain. "Well, considering the fact that I saw Takumi, Kakashi, and now _you_, all in the same hour, I highly doubt it's a coincidence." I sighed. "So, what do you want?" I asked, tired.

_'If he asks me to go on that mission for Takumi, then I swear I'll punch him.'_

"Well, Taku–" Gai cut off midsentence, effortlessly dodging my fist. He's one of the only people I know who could dodge it. After all, he _is_ one of the fastest ninja in Konoha. "You're so youthful, Shizuka-chan!" Gai gushed, praising me. "It's nice to see kids these days being so young and youthful! My student, Lee, is just as youthful as you, and he looks just like me. He's a taijutsu specialist and he's a hard-working guy and, and," he babbled. Gai paused again, realizing he was going off topic and continued, "So, Takumi wa–"

"No," I cut him off.

"You don't even know what I was going to say!" Gai cried.

"Yeah, I do. Takumi asked about it earlier, and I told him no. He can do it himself," I reasoned.

"Come one, Shizuka-chan! You're still in your Springtime of Youth! You can take that mission on, no problem! I'll even go with you on it – that's a promise!" Gai exclaimed, flashing me his famous "nice guy pose" which consists of winking, giving me a thumbs up, and teeth pinging. It looked very stupid and weird to tell you the truth. His eyes darted around the street, seemingly looking for something. He must've not found it since he then leaned in and placed a hand over my ear, whispering secretively into it, "Plus, between you and me, Takumi's not really as youthful as he used to be."

I pulled away and looked at him strangely, eyebrow raised. "You do realize Takumi's only four years older than you right?"

"Yeah, so?" Gai asked, confused. He really lacked common sense.

"_So_, if I'm in my 'Springtime of Youth'," I said slowly and clearly, making sure he heard every word, "and I'm twenty; and Takumi is thirty and no longer 'youthful,' then what does that make you?" Gai gaped at me kind of like how Naruto had; he finally understood where I was going with this. "You're twenty-six," I continued, unfazed by his reaction. "That means you won't be 'youthful' in four years."

Gai shot me a horrified look and started hyperventilating. I guess he's really defensive about his age. _'Huh, it's fun to torture teammates,'_ I thought happily, the corners of my lips twitching upwards sadistically. Gai's face started to turn blue from lack of oxygen. _'What a pretty color…'_

"GAI-SENSEI!" _another _person screamed. In came a boy bearing a great resemblance to Gai – same bowl style haircut, same hideous green jumpsuit, same leg warmers, heck, even the same caterpillar looking eyebrows!

_'He could be Gai's twin if he was ten years older or even his son. You could also consider him as an insanely obsessed fan intent on copying your every move. Based on what Gai told me earlier, this is probably that taijutsu student, Lee.'_

"OH MY GOSH! GAI-SENSEI, YOU'RE _CHOKING!_" Gai's carbon copy screamed again, probably noticing Guy's choking motions and his bluish face.

_ 'Oooo,'_ I thought, amazed. _'I didn't know there were so many different shades of blue. Oooo, now he's turning purple! Who would've thought 'Konoha's Green Beast of Prey' would die from, not a deadly ninja attack or even overexertion from intense training, but from cho –'_

A loud wail interrupted my thoughts; it came from Gai's pupil.

_'He's even as noisy and dramatic as Gai,' _I complained, ears ringing.

Lee just kept crying and screaming like a banshee; the three of us ended up attracting a lot of attention. A small crowd began to form around us; when I shot everyone death glares, they quickly tucked in their tails like dogs and scattered.

Deciding this had gone on long enough; I took in a deep breath and yelled, "BE QUIET!" Lee flinched and shrank back. He immediately stopped blubbering and quieted down, but the tears kept flowing like a faucet – it just wouldn't turn off. I calmed myself and said in a reassuring tone, "I'll save your sensei, okay? So quit crying."

The boy sniffled; snot running down his nose as he pulled out a tissue (from seemingly out of nowhere) and noisily blew into it. My eye twitched in annoyance. "Really?" he asked, looking up at me with these big, watery eyes.

I sighed; I seemed to be doing that a lot lately. "Yes, really," I assured him. I then turned to Gai and said, "Gai, you'll definitely be 'youthful' in four years. Even when you reach your thirties and forties, you'll still look 'youthful' while everyone else looks old and crusty."

Gai instantly stopped hyperventilating and began to breathe normally, regaining his color.

_'Note to self – never make fun of Gai's age. There would be annoying consequences.'_

"GAI-SENSEI!" the Lee screamed again, ecstatic, throwing himself at Gai.

_'Oh, boy,'_ I thought, head throbbing. _'Here comes the waterworks.'_

Right on cue, the two men embraced; Gai's copy clutching onto his sensei's flak jacket and Gai crushing the boy's back with his powerful arms, tears streaming down _both _of their faces in large quantities. "It's all right, Lee," Gai assured his student, sniffling. "I'm okay now." He gave the boy a reassuring pat.

"I thought I lost you sensei!" Lee cried in a loud, overly dramatic voice. My eye twitched again. Really, did they _have_ to burst into tears like that?

I cleared my throat, reminding them that I was still here. "Are you two done?" I asked. My face remained blank and impassive, but the irritation lacing my tone was enough to give me away.

They clung to each other for another minute before reluctantly separating. Gai wiped away his tears, a big smile on his face. "Now we are," he answered. He turned back to Lee and said, "Lee, this is Shizuka Tsukino." He gestured towards me. "Shizuka, this is Rock Lee." Gai leaned down to his student's ear and whispered into it.

I wasn't sure what he had said until Lee loudly proclaimed, "Shizuka-san is your _girlfriend, _Gai-sensei?! Yes!" He pumped his fist in the air. "Sensei is the best!"

My eyes widened in horror at his words. "I'm not his girlfriend," I denied vehemently.

"Gai-sensei, guess what?" Lee asked, ignoring me. Too caught up in his own little world to notice the Ice Queen standing right in front of him. His eyes were smiling too.

Gai placed his hand on his student's shoulder and questioned, "What?"

Lee was literally bouncing up and down from excitement; a large grin erupted onto his face. "I finally mastered the Reverse Lotus!" he cheered excitedly, doing a victory dance.

"Reverse Lotus?" I asked, alarmed. The Reverse Lotus was a technique that never should be taught no matter what the reason. Although it granted the user extreme power and speed in battle, it was a double edged sword in the fact that it could seriously damage their body.

Gai's eyes grew large as they snapped towards mine. _'He must've forgotten I was here… again.'_

Gai laughed nervously. "N-No, you heard wrong. Lee said…" he trailed off, thinking up an excuse. "He said 'Icha Icha Paradise'," Gai exclaimed, hitting his fist against his open palm. He clearly thought this was a great excuse.

"Right," I scoffed, my arms crossed and expression dubious. "You expect me to believe your student was reading porn?"

_'Honestly, does he take me for an idiot?'_

Gai must've realized he hadn't been fooling anyone because then he said, "Lee." It was just a simple word, but Gai said it very seriously, a sharp contrast to his usual kind and corny self. "YOU FOOL!" he yelled, punching Lee in the face. Lee flew back several feet just like how Takumi did when Yuka-sensei punched him.

"Sensei… I… I…" Lee trailed off, holding his injured cheek.

"It's alright Lee!" Gai cried, holding his student tightly. "You don't have to explain!"

"Sensei!" Lee cried, hugging him back. They burst into tears while the sun faded in the background.

Gai sniffled as he released him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Lee. Mistakes are all a part of youth! Just try not to mention the Lotus around others."

"Okay, sensei! I won't!" Lee promised as his tears and snot ran down his face.

_'I wonder if Gai punched him on purpose so they would have an excuse to hug again,'_ I thought, eye twitching for the _third_ time. _'Doesn't Gai know it's rude to keep a person waiting? He's the one who wanted to talk to me in the first place.'_

I pursed my lips and formed a few hand signs, teleporting to a nearby tree. I pushed away some of the foliage and watched them, wondering if they would notice I was gone.

"Alright, as punishment," Gai yelled enthusiastically, a hand on his hip and a fist in the air, "five hundred laps around the practice range!"

_'It looks like those two are stuck in their own little world.'_

"Yes!" Lee shouted, just as enthusiastic. Determination blazed in his eyes as he saluted his sensei and took off in the direction of the training grounds.

_'Really, what idiots.'_

"Alright, Shizuka-chan," Gai said turning towards the direction I _was_ in before I poofed to the tree. His eyes widened when he noticed I wasn't there, and he instantly scanned the area. "Shoot, she's escaped!" Gai shouted as he ran off to find me.

I stayed there for a minute before jumping off the branch I was on and walking towards my apartment.

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**A/N: Hey, guys! I just wanted to know how you guys think of the story and thoughts on my main character. Bad? Good? Is Shizuka a mary sue? Thoughts on Takumi? Reviews are appreciated!**


	6. Chapter 5

I walked down the street, staring directly ahead of myself while I ignored the stares I was receiving. _'Apparently, associating with idiots makes people think you yourself are an idiot.'_ As soon as my house came into view, I carefully placed one foot in front of the other while maintaining a relatively fast pace, only stopping to glare at the ones who stared too long. My eyes darted around, looking for traps Gai might've set up in an attempt to kidnap me or something. He seemed pretty determined to get me on that mission. Actually, all of them did. Weird.

I paused, hearing some rustling to my left. I glanced at the trees out of the corner of my eye and slowly backed away, feeling _something_ out there. It wasn't a hostile presence, but it certainly wasn't friendly either. I reached for a kunai automatically, raising it defensively. What I saw next was shocking to say the least. Vibrant purple eyes locked onto mine through the bushes, and I couldn't seem to look away. There was something about them that kept me from attacking, and when I blinked, it was gone; leaving me wondering if what had happened was real.

When I deemed the outside of my home safe, I took out the keys from my pouch and unlocked the door. I quickly stepped inside and shut the door, back leaning against it. _'What was that?'_

* * *

Gai walked down the hall, each step bringing him closer and closer to his premature death. He deliberately slowed his movements, taking baby steps so he wouldn't have to face _them_ so soon. Unfortunately, his feet eventually carried him to his destination only a minute more than it should've been if he had walked at a normal speed. He gulped and hesitantly raised his knuckles to the door, rapping it quickly. "Enter," the Sandaime called behind the door.

Gai waited outside for another moment, trying to delay the inevitable for as long as he could. He reached for the handle and twisted it slowly. Finally, he pushed the door open and stepped inside reluctantly. He stumbled into the room, a devastated expression painted onto his face. His knees shook and tears trailed down his cheeks in large quantities. He sniffled. "I'm so sorry, Takumi!" Gai wailed. "I lost her!"

Takumi sighed, shaking his head from disappointment. "And I thought you of all people would be able to accomplish what Kakashi and I couldn't do," he said.

"Of course, I can beat Kakashi!" Gai yelled. "I currently have 50 wins and 49 losses!"

"And how many does Kakashi have?"

Gai muttered reluctantly, "51 wins and 50 losses."

"Where exactly did you check, Gai?" Kakashi asked, already knowing the answer. They all knew the answer, but they had to make sure.

"I looked everywhere!" Gai cried. "I checked Ichiraku, Yakiniku Q, the park, the training grounds, and, and –"

"Did you check her room?" Sarutobi interrupted, knowing he hadn't but asking anyway. Gai lacked common sense and sometimes missed the most obvious choice.

"…No, I didn't," Gai whispered, horrified at his mistake. "Wah! Forgive me, Hokage-sama, Takumi!" Gai cried, bursting into tears.

Takumi sighed again. "Kakashi, will you go check on her? After our discussion?"

Kakashi nodded and replied, "Sure."

"What should we do about Shizuka?" Gai asked worriedly. He cared for her a lot since she was like a little sister to him, so he hated seeing her sad and angry all the time.

Sarutobi sighed. "I don't think I can distort her memories again, Takumi. Every time I do it, she eventually remembers them at a faster pace. The Tsukino clan's kekkai genkai corrects the distortions." Sarutobi placed the pipe between his lips and inhaled before puffing out grey smoke. He continued, "The last time I used the technique on her was two months ago and three before that. At this rate, I'll have to change them again next month, and after that, two weeks, then one, and it'll keep getting shorter until it won't work anymore."

Takumi sighed heavily, taking out a cigarette from his pack. He offered one to the Sandaime who politely declined. He didn't bother offering one to Gai or Kakashi. After all, Gai would probably start complaining about how they were unhealthy and would destroy his "youth" and Kakashi always declined. Holding it between his fingers, Takumi lit it with a lighter, but he didn't put it in his mouth. He stared at it glumly.

"This is really troubling," Gai said seriously, crossing his arms.

"Maybe it's for the best that she remembers the truth now," Kakashi murmured. "She's older and stronger mentally than she was ten years ago. Maybe she'll be able to handle it now."

Takumi shook his head. "No, she won't. Not the way she is now. When I saw her, she was still hostile towards me and seemed mad when I said she would go to Kumo for my "mission." She got upset too when I mentioned it was a retrieval mission. Clearly, she hasn't changed much in the past three years."

"But we've been lying to her for ten years," Kakashi argued. "She has the right to know the truth. We can't lie to her forever."

"Of course we can," Takumi disagreed firmly, clenching his fists. "Anyway, I won't – no, can't – tell her what really happened."

"You have t–"

"You weren't there!" Takumi yelled, shaking now. He lowered his voice and whispered, "You weren't there when she broke down. You weren't there when she looked like a fragile doll that would break in my arms as I carried her back to Konoha. You weren't there when she started screaming and crying and hurting herself."

Kakashi stared at him before reluctantly agreeing, "Fine. We won't tell her. But what should we do?"

Silence filled the air as the four of them contemplated what to do. "I know!" Gai exclaimed. Takumi and the Sandaime leaned forward, eager to hear what Gai had come up with. Gai shouted, "We should," he paused for dramatic effect, "have Shizuka-chan start teaching genins!"

Takumi stared at Gai, unimpressed, before shaking his head. "Can't," he said simply. "Shizuka hates kids."

"That's not a good idea, Gai," Kakashi said, backing up Takumi. "Shizuka will probably end up murdering them instead of teaching them."

"But maybe the kids will gradually be able to open up Shizuka-chan's heart, and she'll be the smiling sunshiny self she used to be! Then she'll be able to handle it when she remembers everything," Gai exclaimed optimistically.

"Somehow, I highly doubt that," Takumi muttered, taking out another cigarette.

"Do you have a better idea?" Gai retorted. Takumi remained silent, showing he hadn't thought up an alternative.

"Alright," Sarutobi agreed reluctantly. "There's a team of genin who recently lost their sensei. I'll assign her as their new jounin sensei. Kakashi, tell Shizuka to come here tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

"You three may leave."

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**A/N: Thoughts? Comments? Is anyone OOC? If so, I'll try to fix it. Reviews are appreciated!**


	7. Chapter 6

Shiori's POV

I tiptoed into the house, trying not to wake Shizuka in case she was asleep. It was extremely rare when she got a full night's sleep, and I didn't want to be the one to ruin it for her in case she was asleep. She started taking sleeping pills when she was eleven, and they slowly became ineffective after constant use.

I didn't have to worry about anyone else; her parents would never come back home and Takumi had his own family to take care of. I glanced at the clock and checked the time; it was quite late – about eleven o'clock. I didn't usually come here so late, but when I found out she came home a day early after her three year trip, I knew I had to check up on her. My head snapped up and ears perked at the sound.

A small whimper sounded throughout the room, shattering the silence.

_"Oooohh,"_ a quiet, pained moan followed soon after.

I hurried towards the source to stop her scream fest before it had a chance to start. Too late.

_"AAAHHHH!"_

The ear splitting scream echoed off the walls as I burst in through her bedroom door. I ran to her curled up form and wrapped my arms around her tightly. "Calm down, Shizuka!" I cried desperately.

_"NO!"_ she shrieked, struggling to push me away. _"AAAAHHH! Mommy!"_

Tears streamed down Shizuka's cheeks, eyes closed shut, the epitome of pain contorted on her visage. She kept screaming at the top of her lungs, kicking and clawing at my arms and legs. Giant, purple bruises blossomed across my skin, and blood oozed out of the cuts. It was almost too much for me to bear, but I held onto her tight, knowing it would end soon.

"Aaahh…aahhh," Shizuka cried out, softer than before. Her eyes were wide open now, glassy with tears. A wild, frightened look entered her usually calm silver colored eyes.

"_Please_, Shizuka. Wake up!" I pleaded, seeing her calm down slightly. "You're okay now! You're _safe! _ No one can hurt you!" I pulled her into my lap and hugged her tightly, rubbing her back soothingly.

Shizuka panted, trying to catch her breath. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she hesitantly wrapped her arms around me. She trembled against me, still unstable from the nightmare. Her erratic breathing slowly returned to a normal pace, but the clear, salty liquid wouldn't stop. I stroked her head, running my fingers through the white tresses. It got all messy from all her tossing and turning; it was most likely a result of _that_ nightmare. Shizuka's nails dug into my back, cutting into the flesh, but I didn't move away. I just kept stroking her head in a soothing manner. Her hands clutched the back of my shirt more tightly in response. She needed me, and she knew it.

I sighed, wincing from the pain. Not just mine, but hers too. No matter how many times this situation has happened over the past ten years, I could never get used to it. And I never will.

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**A/N: Anyone OOC? OCs are ok? Thoughts, comments, etc. You know the drill. REVIEWS = MOTIVATION TO WRITE!**


	8. Chapter 7

Shizuka's POV

I wrapped my arms around Shiori, refusing to let go. Like a child would with their teddy bear, I held onto her for dear life. She was my comfort, my protector. Everything I didn't get from my brother, I got from her. Those nightmares always left me tired and scared. And the strange thing was that I could never remember them. But tonight was different. I saw _them._

I whimpered and tightened my hold on her shirt, muttering under my breath, "Don't leave me, Shiori. Please don't leave." My eyes darted around the room, expecting something to pop up and steal her away. I trembled at the thought while she stroked my hair.

"Shhh…" Shiori shushed, rubbing my back. "You don't have to be scared."

I ignored her, panicky eyes sweeping across the far corners of the room and lingering on certain spots when I thought I spotted a flicker of movement. My eyes landed on the window, thinking I had seen a flash of silver.

"I know it's not easy," Shiori admitted, "and I can't say I know what you're going through since I really don't, but you have to get over it. This –" she indicated with a sweep of her hand "– can't go on forever. The crying, the screaming – it has to stop. It's been ten years. Forget about it," she pleaded. "I won't be around forever to comfort you."

My eyes snapped to hers, widening when I finally heard her. Shiori had never said anything like that before. I knew it was childish of me to assume that she'd always be around – after all, she did have a family to take care of– but I honestly didn't think she _would_ leave. Not by choice anyway. I also couldn't imagine her dying and leaving me behind. That was a scary thought. What would happen if she _did_ die? What would happen to me? I started shaking again. I saw her lips moving, trying to tell me something, but the voices in my head drowned her out. I couldn't hear anything else but my own thoughts screaming at me. A wave of tiredness swept over me as my eye lids lowered. I tried to fight against it, to stay awake. I didn't want to fall asleep and be plagued by nightmares again, but I ultimately lost the fight. My eyes closed shut, and I slowly slipped into unconsciousness.

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**A/N: Is the story confusing? Is anyone OOC? Anyone hate my OCs? Review, please!**

**HAPPY NEW YEAR!**


	9. Chapter 8

I woke up to the sounds of birds chirping, tweeting sweetly as they flew by. I kept my eyes closed and buried my head into my pillow only to realize it was moving. Opening an eye, I took a peek at my pillow. I had been sleeping on Shiori. Her chest moved up and down rhythmically as she took in a breath. I sat up and tried to recall yesterday's events. I remembered having a nightmare and Shiori suddenly appearing and holding me while I freaked out. I had cried and eventually got so tired that I fell asleep in her arms. She must've not had the heart to wake me up so she could leave. I stared at her lovingly, a warm look in my characteristically cold eyes, as I placed a kiss on her cheek. I thought of Shiori as my surrogate mother. She gave me every ounce of love in her after my parents died. She was the only one I treated decently, and I planned to keep it that way.

I pulled the covers up to her chin and gathered my clothes for the day, walking into the bathroom. I quickly got dressed and gave Shiori a fleeting half smile as I shut the door with a silent click. I stepped outside and noticed a white square beneath my feet. I crouched down and picked it up, scanning over the contents.

_Shizuka,_

_Hokage-sama wants to see you. Meet him in his office as soon as you can._

I sighed and stood back up, wiping the nonexistent dirt off my pants. Shoving the note into my pocket, I ran towards the Sandaime's office. It was probably a mission assignment. What else could he want me for?

* * *

I slammed my hands onto the table and growled, "I don't train genins. I thought you already knew that, Hokage-sama." I glowered at him, unable to contain my fury.

"She's probably just not good enough," one of the genins sneered.

I whirled around to face him. "What did you just say?!" I snapped.

He straightened up and said contemptuously, "You're not good enough. _You're _just a weak girl_."_

My face burned with anger. That was the second time I had been called weak in the span of two days and both were by genins. Didn't these idiots know that kunoichi were just as good as the guys if not _better_? I would beat the living crap of that kid if he didn't _shut up_. "You –"

"Enough!" Sarutobi yelled. "Stop fighting! Shizuka, this is only temporary. Just teach them until I can find a replacement."

"But–"

"Do it!" Sarutobi ordered, cutting me off. "Or you'll only get D and C-ranked missions for six months!"

I pursed my lips, glaring at my feet. I wanted to argue, say how unfair it was, and throw a tantrum, but I didn't want to be stuck with D-ranked missions for half a year. I'd probably die from lack of excitement! So I sucked it up and nodded. "Yes, Hokage-sama."

I spun around and walked towards the door. Just as I was about to pass through it, Sarutobi added, "Oh, and Shizuka?"

I paused, waiting for him to finish. I didn't turn around though. I was too mad. "Yes?"

"Don't kill them, okay?"

I turned around to face him and teared up. "Why would I ever do that?"I asked, pretending to be hurt. "You know how much I _love_ kids."

[BREAK]

Now you must be thinking "This chick's crazy!" or "She's so moody!" or something like that. So let me assure you right now, I'm not moody, just crazy. I just like switching my moods around when I feel like being overdramatic. No big deal. Nothing to be alarmed about.

[BREAK]

"Well, considering your track record…" Sarutobi made a show of checking the files on his desk.

I made a face at that. "Is it my fault they were annoying? I think not."

"Shizuka," Sarutobi said warningly. I glanced around the room. Huh. It looks like the kids hadn't left the room when I said that.

I turned around and rolled my eyes, not that he could see it. "I'll do my best."


	10. Chapter 9

But in reality, Hokage-sama did have a reason to worry. I didn't spare children.

_Flashback_

_"Have you gone mad?! What's gotten into you, killing all those people like that?" Takumi demanded, furious._

_"They were in the way." I leaned against the wall casually with my arms crossed, indifferent. I looked at him coldly, a bored expression painted on my face._

_Takumi's anger washed away, replaced by horror and disbelief. I knew he was sensitive and only killed when he had to, but even then, he was usually reluctant to finish the enemy off. And that made him weak and soft. Too soft for his own good. That trait would get him killed someday, and I wouldn't be there to save his ass. Anyway, that's why he couldn't understand how I could kill so many people when I didn't even have to and not even care after the horrible deed was done._

_Takumi's face turned a bright red as the anger came back, and he growled out, "You weren't supposed to kill everyone!"_

_I stared at him blankly, unmoved in the slightest. Automatically, I recited one of the shinobi rules. I had learned it and memorized it by heart like all kids were required to do back when I was still an Academy student. "'A shinobi must always put the mission first.' Isn't that what they taught back at the Academy?" I straightened up to my full height, trying to look more intimidating. Though I was lacking in the height department, my steely gaze could easily make men cower before my feet. They were my strongest asset. "If I remember correctly, the mission was to assassinate the man and the woman because of their treachery. Everyone else jumped in to protect them. They wouldn't have had to die if they had just stayed out of the way. But because they decided to fight me, I had to slaughter them first to reach the targets and finish the mission. You can think of it as self-defense if you want. They would've killed me if I hadn't killed them first. It's survival of the fittest."_

_There was no flaw in my logic. Sure, maybe I could've just knocked them out, but if I hadn't massacred them all, they would've definitely come back for revenge when they recovered. Konoha doesn't need to be put at risk by them. Besides, I truly wouldn't have killed them unless they decided to interfere._

_I added on as an afterthought, "Anyway, if it means completing a mission, I will even sacrifice you." _

_"How can you say that to me?" Takumi asked, upset. "I'm your brother!"_

_"It's 'cause I hate you. Simple as that," I shot back._

_Something flickered in his eyes, but I wasn't sure what. Strangely enough, it looked like guilt and pain, but I quickly dismissed the idea. He had killed my teammates in cold blood. There was no way he could have been hurt by mere words. And what could he possibly feel guilty about?_

_"You still killed innocent children," he argued, albeit with less force. He knew he wasn't going to win this fight._

_I waved it off, dismissing his argument. "Those children witnessed me killing their friends and family. They were probably traumatized and would want revenge when they got older. Who knows? Maybe those kids would grow up to be very powerful. Konoha doesn't need a _second_ Orochimaru going after them. One is bad enough." I paused to kneel down in front of the flowering dandelion at my feet. "You have to destroy the weed before it takes root," I said, ripping the plant – roots and all – out of the soil. I stood up and dropped it, calmly crushing it beneath my foot._

_End Flashback_


	11. Chapter 10

"Alright, brats," I said, folding my arms across my chest, "it looks like I'm stuck with you until Hokage-sama can find a replacement, so we might as well get to know each other. Tell me your likes, dislikes, dreams for the future, etcetera, etcetera."

"I'm not doing that," the red headed genin snorted. It was the same one that called me weak earlier. He was _not _getting in my good list, that's for sure. "That's just stupid," he complained.

I narrowed my eyes and stalked up to him. I towered over him menacingly and leaned down, jabbing a finger at his chest – hard. "This is not a suggestion. This is a _decision_ and you _will_obey me." I glared at him, daring him to refuse. Once up close, I stared deeply into his eyes, slightly confused. They were a strange color – purple – like the ones I saw just last night.

He saluted me smartly and yelled, "Yes, sensei!" That wise-guy trait of his would get him killed on the battlefield someday, and I certainly wouldn't be there to save him.

I glared at him. "Don't get cocky, kid. I never promised I wouldn't kill you."

"Yeah, you –"

"My exact words were 'I'll do my best,' meaning I'll try not to, but I could still kill you if you provoke me," I threatened. "Alright," I said, pointing at the green haired girl, "you go first."

"Um, my name is Saito Megumi," she mumbled, nervous with all the eyes staring at her. "I like flowers."

I raised an eyebrow at that. _'Delicate one, eh?'_

"I don't like blood." Her eyes flickered towards me before quickly darting to her feet. She rubbed her arm unconsciously, probably a nervous habit or something.

_'Extremely delicate. Then why's she a ninja?!'_

"I want to be stronger and more talkative when I grow up," Megumi said, staring at her feet. "My hobbies are reading and taking walks."

"My name's Aihara Hiroshi," the brown haired boy chirped. He looked like the only one who was remotely happy with the situation. "I like dogs, cats, birds – any kind of animal really – training, sleeping, and a bunch of other stuff!" he gushed.

_'He seems like a really positive person. Really chatty though.'_

"I don't like scary things." He leaned forward and whispered secretively, "Don't tell anyone, but I have a fear of spiders." He leaned back and happily continued, "I'm going to become a well known ninja! My hobbies are playing with my little brother, sleeping, eating, and training."

"I'm Kimura Daichi. I like…" I looked at him expectantly, "well, that's none of your business, _sensei,_" he mocked, smiling cheekily.

_'Why I ought to…' _I started making strangling motions in my head, but I knew I wouldn't be satisfied unless I _actually_ wrapped my fingers around his neck.

"I don't like –" he pointed at me, "– you."

"Well good, 'cause I don't like you either," I replied bluntly. I made up my mind at that moment. I was _not_ going to be nice to this kid.

He ignored me, the rude bastard. "I don't have a dream," he continued, shrugging his shoulders.

"Well it wouldn't matter what kind of you dream you had. You wouldn't be able to reach it anyway," I said harshly.

The smile dropped from his face, and he just looked at me sadly. But I didn't care.

"My hobbies are going to the Dango shop," he finished lamely.

Megumi raised her hand timidly. I nodded at her, and she asked quietly, "What about you, sensei?"

"Me? I'm Tsukino Shizuka. I like… killing."

The green haired girl shivered. _'Big surprise.'_

"I dislike… annoying people who piss me off." I glared at redhead. He just glared back, the little bastard. "Dreams for the future… well, that's none of your business. As for hobbies, well, let's just say it involves me, an enemy ninja strapped to a seat, and a whole lot of weapons," I said menacingly.

_'Well that's just great,'_ I thought sarcastically._ 'I've got a wise-guy, a shy weakling, and a chatterbox. Just what I've always wanted!'_

_'The girl I can work with, but the boys…'_ I sighed. _'I can tell I'm going to be spending a lot of time with them.'_


	12. Chapter 11

"What's the distance to the target?" I asked, talking through the headset.

_"Five meters. I'm ready,"_ Daichi spoke, not bothering to mask his irritation.

_"I'm all set,"_ Megumi added.

_"Me too!"_ Hiroshi chirped.

"Alright, go!" I ordered.

_"Wah!" _

I heard some rustling and a loud cry followed by several obscenities courtesy of Daichi. "I take it you guys found her?" I asked disinterestedly.

_'Really, the Hokage couldn't have given us a more interesting mission?'_ I complained inwardly. _'They've been genin for a year! You'd think they'd go on C-rank or something, but noooo, Hokage-sama thinks they should only tackle D-rank ones.'_ I huffed angrily, suddenly wanting to destroy something. Unfortunately, the only things around were the trees and my headset. I wasn't about to destroy the headset because one, it's expensive, and two… well, it's expensive. Also, I'm not about to go around kicking trees 'cause that would hurt. I'm not _that_ stupid. _'Why did I choose to be their sensei? If I'd said 'no,' I would've only had C-rank and D-rank missions for six months. With these guys, I'll have these missions for a lot longer. At the rate Sarutobi-sama is going, I'll be this team's sensei for the next several years!'_

"Oh, we found her," Daichi muttered darkly. "Just don't expect her to be in great condition."

* * *

Daichi came out of the forest, holding Tora by the scruff of her neck, face twisted with disgust. I stared at him, thoroughly amused. His usually neat hair was disheveled and hanging in front of his eyes, and he had scratch marks all over his face courtesy of Tora. The little cat wasn't much better though. Her long brown fur was all messed up and I thought I saw some bald spots too. Plus, she was covered in dirt and grime. _'Oh well,'_ I thought, uncaring of the animal's appearance. _'We were paid to find her, not keep her clean.'_

Tora snarled and clawed at Daichi's hands, raking her sharp claws over his skin. Daichi growled and handed her to Megumi. Tora promptly softened up and let Megumi hold her without a fuss. She purred like a docile animal when Megumi ran her fingers over her fur. Hiroshi made a move to pet her, but she noticed and hissed, swiping the offending hand away. Hiroshi looked hurt, but that wasn't the important thing. _'Odd,'_ I thought, staring at the two females strangely. _'Tora hates strangers, especially people who try to take her back to Madam Shijimi. So why is Megumi acceptable?'_

Daichi shot me a glare and I tore my attention away from the three to throw him a smirk, effectively aggravating him. "What's wrong?" I asked, raising a brow. "Can't handle a little cat?" I taunted, provoking him. I loved getting a rise out of him, and the best part was he couldn't do a thing about it.

Daichi's face reddened with anger. "You –!"

"Not so fast," I cut in. "Insult me, and you guys will only receive D-ranked missions," I threatened; leaving out the fact they would get D-ranked missions even if he didn't insult me.

Daichi immediately shut up but continued to glare at me. Stupid.

* * *

"You found her!" Madam Shijimi cried, pouncing on the poor cat.

"Nyaaaa!" Tora screamed as Madam Shijimi unleashed her bone-breaking hug.

I felt a little pity for Tora, but on the other hand, I thought it was funny to watch her squirm. Sometimes I wondered if Madam Shijimi is stupid. Obviously the cat doesn't like her. Why else would it run away? And I'm really surprised she hasn't said anything about the bald spots. Perhaps she's blind? Yeah, that's it.

"Oh, my cute little Tora-chan. I was so worried!" she said, cuddling the poor animal to death.

Daichi smirked, obviously happy watching her suffer. I was definitely mimicking that same expression. Hiroshi looked at Tora longingly, probably wanting to try and pet her. Maybe he could try now since she's kind of… occupied at the moment. And Megumi was watching Tora, a horrified expression marring her face. She looked like she wanted to run over there and snatch Tora away.

"You four have one more mission," Sarutobi said, staring at the cat as well.

Daichi groaned loudly, visibly wilting. "Another D-rank mission?" he asked, expressing his annoyance.

"No, this one's C-rank," Sarutobi corrected, folding his hands beneath his chin. "It's an escort mission. Hey, will you come in here?" he asked, looking at the door.

The door slid open and in came a young man. He brushed his blond hair out of his eyes and gave us a cursory glance. "So these are the ninja?"

"That's right. This mission should only take four days at most. Leave within an hour," the Hokage said. We nodded and turned around to leave the office, but I stopped when Sarutobi said, "Wait, Shizuka, I need to speak with you."


	13. Chapter 12

"What is it, Hokage-sama?" I asked when everyone had left the room.

"I wanted to talk to you about the recent deaths in the village."

"People are dying?" I questioned, confusion lacing my tone.

Sarutobi nodded gravely, his expression grim. "I'm afraid so."

"When did it start? And what does that have to do with me?" I demanded.

"The night you came back."

"No wonder everyone thinks it's me," I muttered under my breath. I raised my voice slightly, asking, "Who was the first victim?"

"Hirose Shigeru."

"Who's that?" I inquired, wondering where I had heard that name before.

"He was your genins' previous sensei." He paused, allowing me time to process this new information.

"But how could this have happened?" I asked, firing off another question. "Konoha is very well guarded. No enemy could possibly sneak in and kill the villagers unless…" Realization suddenly dawned on me. "Unless it's someone from the inside." He didn't say anything, but his silence was enough to tell me I was right. "And you believe that someone is me," I said calmly, not at all surprised. Everyone hated me, even the Hokage, so of course I would be the first one they accused when something bad happens.

"Not me," Sarutobi denied, smoking his pipe. I wrinkled my nose, loathing the scent of toxic smoke that filled the air. I couldn't see how he and Takumi could enjoy smoking those things. "I don't think that, but some of the villagers do."

"Who's investigating this case?" I asked, knowing he would be asking me to do it. Why else would he tell me all this?

"I was hoping you would," Sarutobi said, looking at me expectantly. "If you find the real killer, you'll be cleared of all charges, and the villagers will come to accept you."

I sighed and gave him a withering look to which he pointedly ignored. I huffed and grudgingly agreed, knowing he would pester me to death until I said 'yes.' "Who died and how?"

Sarutobi opened up one of the files on his desk and pulled out a few photos and documents. "That will tell you all you need to know," he said, handing them to me.

I took a look at the gruesome deaths in the photos and stated, "These are animal bites and claw marks." I looked up for the pictures, irritated. "Probably the work of a cat summons. And the only one who summons cats –" I sighed, "–is me, which makes me even more of a suspect."


	14. REWRITE

Hello, people! I just wanted to let you guys know that I'm going to be rewriting Heartless. Honestly, it's hard writing in 1st POV, so my rewrite will be in 3rd person. And also, I don't really like the way I've written it. I mean, it's just... I dunno...bad? So there are going to be some changes. I probably won't delete the story though incase I change my mind (though I probably won't). Anyway, I hope you guys will continue to support me, and review my new story. Of course, it'll probably take a while for me to post it. I'll post another chapter in about a few weeks, so you guys will know when my rewrite will be up and what it's called. Thanks! Oh, and be sure to check out my other story, A Second Chance! Tell me what you think!


	15. REWRITE PART 2

Alright, my new story's up! It's called Lies and Secrets. It has all the same characters, but I'll probably be tweaking their personalities a bit and stuff. Also I've decided to change a few details and part of the plot, so it's not going to be exactly the same as Heartless. Well, I hope you guys will read and review it! Enjoy!


	16. REWRITE PART 3

Hey guys! You know, in a way, I'm really disappointed. And that's 'cause... only 30 people have taken a look at my story Lies and Secrets and it's been almost a week since I published it. It's kinda funny and sad how people are still reading this story and not the rewrite. I mean, last month, Heartless was viewed more than a thousand times by hundreds of people. Anyway, check out my new story. It's a little different, but it'll have the same characters and stuff.


	17. IMPORTANT INFO

_**Hi, everyone. You guys know how I said about two weeks ago I was going on a hiatus because of schoolwork and loss of interest? Well, I've decided to end my temporary hiatus, but I'm not going to be using this account anymore. I decided a few days ago to open up a new fanfiction account. It's called Codes and Puzzles. The reason I'm doing this is because I don't really like the stories I've posted on this account so I've decided to start anew. I'm going to rewrite all my stories on my new account and repost them there, which means I'll be deleting the ones here. I am definitely deleting **__**Lies and Secrets**__**, but I'm not so sure about **__**A Second Chance**__**. I might delete it some other time or keep it here. I hope you'll all continue to follow me and read my stories. Thanks for sticking with me for so long! See ya in my next account.**_


	18. MORE IMPORTANT INFO

Hello, faithful readers! Some of you are probably wondering when the rewrite of this story will be posted. All I can say is is that it won't be posted up for a while probably. I'm still working on the beginning and trying to make sure everything works out. My newest Death Note story, Battle Royale, has been posted already on this account. Well, sort of. The first chapter is actually a character list thing I made. I need _your_ help on coming up with some main characters for Battle Royale. Please take a look at it and come up with a character for me to write about. There's probably going to be around fifteen main characters so create however many you want. Thanks!


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